Imitation pillar or column as used for decorative purposes.



F. BRKUTIGAM.

IMITATION PILLAR 0B COLUMN AS USED FOR DECORATIVE PURPOSES.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG.16, 191s.

1,095 3.74, Patent'd May 5,1914.

,. sas rann 1 FRANZ BRAUTIGAM, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANZ BRAUTIGAM, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Hamburg, a free city of the German Fm pire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Imitation Pillars or (161- umns as Used for Decorative Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

The subject matter of my invention has reference to an improvement in imitation pillars, or it may be columns, as used for decorative purposes.

The new arrangement can be used on the stage of a theater or also of a circus or the like. My invention can also be advantageously turned to account when it is desired to decorate streets and public squares temporarily upon the occasion of popular festivities or other celebrations.

In the accompanying drawing some constructional forms of the invention are given by way of examples.

Figure 1 shows an imitation pillar viewed from the rear. It forms one half of a round cylindrical pillar, as it is assumed that this imitation is intended for the stage of a theater of which merely the front half is visible to the spectators. Fig. 2 is a lateral view, in longitudinal section, of the same imitation pillar as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is also a lateral view, as in the case of Fig. 2, but here the mechanism contained in the interior of the imitation pillar is folded together. Fig. 4 is a ground plan of the same imitation pillar as already represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 4, however, is on a larger scale than the other three figures. Figs. 5 and 6 are mechanical details of Figs. 1 to 4. Figs. 7 8 and 9 are ground plans of different styles of imitation pillars or columns.

The imitation pillar consists of a frame or skeleton, which is covered over externally with canvas, cloth or any other suitable material. The frame is composed of a number of stays a placed one above the other,

and the said stays may be made of metal,

such as iron for instance, or of wood or of any other suitable material. At both extremities each stay a. is firmly attached to hempen cords b and, furthermore, the said stays a are also fastened to the girths c hanging vertically downward. The uppermost stay 6, of which Fig. 6 gives a cross sectional view, must be suspended from a high- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 15, 1913.

' Patented May 5, 1914. Serial No. 784,940.

lying firmly fixed object by means of the ropes g, 72 i. The lowermost stay f is firmly attached either to the floor of a theatrical stage, or to the surface of a street or elsewhere as required. If the three ropes g, h, i be pulled tight then the canvas, or other material covering the outer surface of the frame a, b, 0, will also be stretched out, and an imitation pillar of an absolutely deceptive appearance of reality, when viewed from a distance, is thus obtained.

Fig. 5 shows how the stays a may be attached to the vertical girths 0. To each girth 0 there are sewn loops at in which the stays a rest. To the outer side of each stay a a transverse girth 7c is sewn to the longitudinal girths c. The object of these transverse girths is to enable the external canvas or other covering n to be firmly sewn on.

The longitudinal girths c are, as shown in Fig. 6, fastened at their upper ends to the stay 6. This stay 6 must be bent out of a thicker stave or bar than the other stays (1 because it has to carry the whole weight of the imitation pillar and is suspended in position by means of the eyes 0.

WVhen changing the scenery on the stage of'a theater it is of great importance that the imitation pillar should be capable of being moved from one point to another in the shortest possible space of time. To enable this to be effected all that is necessary is to releasethe'lowermost stay f from the floor and pull the two hempen cords g, i upward, whereupon the imitation pillar will collapse together as shown in Fig. 3. In this way the pillars, as soon as they are in this condition, can be rapidly shifted by means of the usual stage mechanisms.

Pillars of any form desired may be imitated by means of my invention. Figs. 1 to 4: are merely intended to show one application thereof by way of example. Fig. 7 shows another example, namely the front half of an octagonal pillar. Fig. 8 represents a quadrangular pillar, while Fig. 9 shows a compound pillar of the so-called clustered column type.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. An imitation pillar consisting of a frame covered on the outside with tightly stretched canvas, cloth or other material, the frame or framework of said imitation pillar consisting of stays which are suspended from vertical ropes or gii'ths.

An imitation pillar consisting of a frame covered on the outside with tightly stretched canvas, cloth or other material the frame or framework of said imitation pillar, consisting of stays which are suspended from vertical ropes or girths, the said stays are adapted to be folded together in such wise as to shift them from a hori- 10 zontai to a vertical position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two wltnesses.

FRANZ BRAUTIGAM.

Witnesses EMIL STEGER, WALTER KoHLEn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1 0. 

